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A Very Early 2013 Fantasy Football Top 200

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See where NFL MVP Adrian Peterson lands in our early rankings

<p>
A Very Early 2013 Fantasy Football Top 200</p>

The 2012 NFL season may have just ended, but that doesn't mean it's too early to starting thinking about next season. Even though teams have just started adjusting their rosters, free agency has yet to begin and the draft is still more than two months away, here's Athlon Sports' early fantasy football rankings for 2013.

As it stands now, Arian Foster and not NFL MVP Adrian Peterson tops our rankings, while Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco comes in at No. 89. Fifteen quarterbacks are ranked higher than Flacco, including Robert Griffin III, who falls in at No. 37 (eighth at his position). Griffin, who was the AP's Offensive Rookie of the Year, is without a doubt the biggest question mark at this point, since his return timetable from his January knee surgery is still unknown. Griffin is the prime example as to why this list will go through many changes between now and the fall.

As for how things currently look, a few early observations. Quarterback appears to be rather deep and the same could be said to a degree for wide receiver. Once you get past the 15 or so running backs it is anyone's guess and tight end is another intriguing position to watch as the offseason plays out.

Rk

Player

Position

Team

Comment

1

Arian Foster

RB

HOU

Edges out A.D. b/c of less tread on the tires.

2

Adrian Peterson

RB

MIN

Be wary of 2,000-yard "curse."

3

Marshawn Lynch

RB

SEA

4

Doug Martin

RB

TB

Can he avoid sophomore slump?

5

Calvin Johnson

WR

DET

Top fantasy WR had just 5 TDs.

6

Jamaal Charles

RB

KC

Is he Reid's McCoy in KC?

7

Aaron Rodgers

QB

GB

Still had 39 TDs despite WR injuries.

8

Drew Brees

QB

NO

Led NFL in INTs and fantasy points.

9

Tom Brady

QB

NE

Could be in market for new No. 1 WR.

10

Ray Rice

RB

BAL

Pierce's touches went up at season's end.

11

LeSean McCoy

RB

PHI

Interesting to see how Kelly uses him.

12

C.J. Spiller

RB

BUF

Should get lion's share of carries over FJax.

13

A.J. Green

WR

CIN

14

Brandon Marshall

WR

CHI

If Bears fix OL, watch out.

15

Trent Richardson

RB

CLE

Needs more support from passing game.

16

Julio Jones

WR

ATL

17

Demaryius Thomas

WR

DEN

Big target should continue to improve.

18

Dez Bryant

WR

DAL

Really came on late in the season.

19

Alfred Morris

RB

WAS

Will Griffin's injury/absence impact him?

20

Cam Newton

QB

CAR

21

Maurice Jones-Drew

RB

JAC

If healthy, he should get lots of touches.

22

Stevan Ridley

RB

NE

23

Peyton Manning

QB

DEN

24

Rob Gronkowski

TE

NE

Health starting to become an issue.

25

Percy Harvin

WR

MIN

Is he long for Minny?

26

Vincent Jackson

WR

TB

Delivered in his first year as Buc.

27

Andre Johnson

WR

HOU

A reliable No. 2 WR would help him and team.

28

Chris Johnson

RB

TEN

29

Matt Forte

RB

CHI

30

Roddy White

WR

ATL

31

Jimmy Graham

TE

NO

32

Frank Gore

RB

SF

Finished with strong postseason.

33

Demarco Murray

RB

DAL

Foot injury plagued him last season.

34

Matt Ryan

QB

ATL

35

Larry Fitzgerald

WR

ARI

All hinges on who his QB is.

36

Matthew Stafford

QB

DET

Don’t forget he posted 5,000-40 in 2011.

37

Robert Griffin III

QB

WAS

The No. 1 question mark in fantasy.

38

Victor Cruz

WR

NYG

Will the Giants pay him?

39

Eric Decker

WR

DEN

40

Randall Cobb

WR

GB

His role should only increase in '13.

41

Wes Welker

WR

NE

If not Patriots, where will he end up?

42

Marques Colston

WR

NO

When healthy, he produces.

43

Darren McFadden

RB

OAK

Will he ever stay healthy?

44

Hakeem Nicks

WR

NYG

Another one who's been held back by injuries.

45

Andrew Luck

QB

IND

Reunited with Stanford OC.

46

Mike Wallace

WR

PIT

His 2013 team will dictate potential value.

47

Michael Crabtree

WR

SF

Kaepernick's clear-cut No. 1 target.

48

Tony Romo

QB

DAL

49

Russell Wilson

QB

SEA

What can he do for an encore?

50

Colin Kaepernick

QB

SF

51

Darren Sproles

RB

NO

Different player in '11 when Payton was HC.

52

Jordy Nelson

WR

GB

53

Steve Smith

WR

CAR

54

BenJarvus Green-Ellis

RB

CIN

55

Pierre Garcon

WR

WAS

Foot injury sidetracked first season in WAS.

56

Greg Jennings

WR

GB

Where will he end up?

57

Reggie Wayne

WR

IND

58

Jason Witten

TE

DAL

59

Ryan Mathews

RB

SD

His collarbone was not his friend last season.

60

David Wilson

RB

NYG

Came on strong late in the season, no more Bradshaw.

61

Aaron Hernandez

TE

NE

62

Steven Jackson

RB

STL

Won't turn 30 until July.

63

Danario Alexander

WR

SD

64

Reggie Bush

RB

MIA

Will he be his (new) team's No. 1 back in '13?

65

Willis McGahee

RB

DEN

66

Mikel Leshoure

RB

DET

67

Cecil Shorts

WR

JAC

68

Eli Manning

QB

NYG

69

Tony Gonzalez

TE

ATL

Will he back for another year?

70

Ben Roethlisberger

QB

PIT

71

Stevie Johnson

WR

BUF

72

T.Y. Hilton

WR

IND

73

Andy Dalton

QB

CIN

74

Torrey Smith

WR

BAL

75

Antonio Brown

WR

PIT

Becomes No. 1 if Wallace doesn't stay.

76

Dwayne Bowe

WR

KC

Potential tied to 2013 team.

77

Brandon Lloyd

WR

NE

His role only increases should Welker leave.

78

Miles Austin

WR

DAL

79

James Jones

WR

GB

80

Lance Moore

WR

NO

81

Mike Williams

WR

TB

82

Danny Amendola

WR

STL

Another free agent who could be in new uni.

83

Josh Freeman

QB

TB

84

Owen Daniels

TE

HOU

85

Kyle Rudolph

TE

MIN

Established himself after Harvin's injury.

86

Greg Olsen

TE

CAR

87

Jermaine Gresham

TE

CIN

88

Matt Schaub

QB

HOU

89

Joe Flacco

QB

BAL

Don't overrate SB MVP's fantasy value.

90

Justin Blackmon

WR

JAC

91

Sidney Rice

WR

SEA

92

Shonn Greene

RB

NYJ

His time is running out to prove he's a No. 1 back.

93

Jacquizz Rodgers

RB

ATL

Should see even more touches in '13.

94

Jeremy Maclin

WR

PHI

Which Eagle WR benefits most from Kelly's system?

95

DeSean Jackson

WR

PHI

96

Vick Ballard

RB

IND

97

Knowshon Moreno

RB

DEN

Effective after McGahee went down until he got hurt too.

98

Kenny Britt

WR

TEN

Could be running out of time/chances w/ Titans.

99

Denarius Moore

WR

OAK

100

Josh Gordon

WR

CLE

101

Philip Rivers

QB

SD

Can McCoy/Whisenhunt turn him around?

102

Ahmad Bradshaw

RB

NYG

Will be looking for new team after Giants released him.

103

Jay Cutler

QB

CHI

Can Trestman make him better?

104

Dennis Pitta

TE

BAL

105

Vernon Davis

TE

SF

He and Kaepernick started clicking late.

106

Antionio Gates

TE

SD

Days as elite option are well pas him.

107

Michael Vick

QB

PHI

Won't know for sure until '13 team is determined.

108

Jonathan Dwyer

RB

PIT

Steelers have to figure backfield out.

109

Jonathan Stewart

RB

CAR

If he or Williams is traded, their ranks change.

110

DeAngelo Williams

RB

CAR

111

Rashard Mendenhall

RB

PIT

112

Michael Turner

RB

ATL

Veteran no longer a viable every-week starter.

113

Vincent Brown

WR

SD

Broken ankle wiped out last season.

114

Bilal Powell

RB

NYJ

Could get No. 1 job if Greene doesn't return.

115

Mark Ingram

RB

NO

116

Carson Palmer

QB

OAK

His weapons couldn't stay healthy last season.

117

Martellus Bennett

TE

NYG

Free agent, keep eye on where he lands.

118

Seattle

DST

SEA

119

Denver

DST

DEN

120

Bernard Pierce

RB

BAL

Got his number called often late in the season.

121

Daryl Richardson

RB

STL

He and Pead will fight for carries if SJax leaves.

122

Brian Hartline

WR

MIA

123

Kendall Wright

WR

TEN

Can he build off of respectable rookie season?

124

Chris Givens

WR

STL

125

Sam Bradford

QB

STL

126

Heath Miller

TE

PIT

How quickly can be bounce back from ACL injury?

127

Brandon Myers

TE

OAK

128

San Francisco

DST

SF

129

Jermichael Finley

TE

GB

130

Brent Celek

TE

PHI

131

Ryan Fitzpatrick

QB

BUF

May not even be the Bills' starter in Week 1.

132

Cincinnati

DST

CIN

Young Bengals should only get better.

133

Houston

DST

HOU

134

Anquan Boldin

WR

BAL

Veteran may have played his last game for Ravens.

135

Santonio Holmes

WR

NYJ

136

Brandon LaFell

WR

CAR

137

Golden Tate

WR

SEA

138

Andre Roberts

WR

ARI

139

Chicago

DST

CHI

Don't count on repeat of last year's fantasy output.

140

Michael Floyd

WR

ARI

141

Alshon Jeffery

WR

CHI

142

Jarius Wright

WR

MIN

He and Harvin could be dangerous combo.

143

DuJuan Harris

RB

GB

Took advantage of injuries to be a factor late.

144

Brandon Pettigrew

TE

DET

145

Dwayne Allen

TE

IND

146

Beanie Wells

RB

ARI

Never has proven he can stay healthy.

147

Ryan Williams

RB

ARI

Still not sure what he's capable of.

148

San Diego

DST

SD

149

Christian Ponder

QB

MIN

150

Pittsburgh

DST

PIT

Veteran unit starting to show its age.

151

New England

DST

NE

152

Nick Foles

QB

PHI

Will be he Kelly's guy?

153

Jake Locker

QB

TEN

Can he take that next step in '13?

154

Ryan Tannehill

QB

MIA

155

Jared Cook

TE

TEN

Where will he play in '13?

156

Jacob Tamme

TE

DEN

157

Mohamed Sanu

WR

CIN

Opportunity knocks for someone to pair w/ Green.

158

Malcom Floyd

WR

SD

159

Emmanuel Sanders

WR

PIT

160

Darrius Heyward-Bey

WR

OAK

161

Jon Baldwin

WR

KC

If Bowe leaves, Baldwin becomes No. 1?

162

Donnie Avery

WR

IND

163

Andrew Hawkins

WR

CIN

164

Lamar Miller

RB

MIA

165

Ben Tate

RB

HOU

166

Bryce Brown

RB

PHI

Kelly used two backs at Oregon.

167

Dexter McCluster

WR

KC

168

Cleveland Browns

DST

CLE

169

LaMichael James

RB

SF

Has he replaced Hunter as 49ers' No. 2?

170

Ronnie Hillman

RB

DEN

171

Isaiah Pead

RB

STL

172

Nate Washington

WR

TEN

173

Scott Chandler

TE

BUF

174

Coby Fleener

TE

IND

Somewhat of a disappointment in his rookie season.

175

Atlanta Falcons

DST

ATL

176

Joique Bell

RB

DET

177

Andre Brown

RB

NYG

Probably been passed by Wilson on depth chart.

178

Lance Kendricks

TE

STL

179

Blair Walsh

K

MIN

Rookie's big leg made big first impression.

180

Stephen Gostkowski

K

NE

181

Michael Bush

RB

CHI

182

Baltimore Ravens

DST

BAL

This unit will look different in '13.

183

Daniel Thomas

RB

MIA

184

Shane Vereen

RB

NE

Had big game against Texans in playoffs.

185

Jason Avant

WR

PHI

186

Marcel Reece

RB

OAK

187

Fred Davis

TE

WAS

His tenure w/ Redskins may be over.

188

Kendall Hunter

RB

SF

189

New York Jets

DST

NYJ

190

Matt Bryant

K

ATL

191

Shayne Graham

K

HOU

192

Mark Sanchez

QB

NYJ

No Tebow, no more excuses in '13.

193

St. Louis Rams

DST

STL

194

Robert Turbin

RB

SEA

195

Donald Brown

RB

IND

196

Jason Hanson

K

DET

197

Mike Tolbert

RB

CAR

198

Matt Flynn

QB

SEA

Will he be with a new team in '13?

199

Arizona Cardinals

DST

ARI

200

Matt Cassel

QB

KC

Will Reid even give him a chance?

Rankings are based upon Athlon Sports' standard scoring system:

OFFENSIVE SCORINGAll touchdowns are 6 points1 point for 25 yards passing1 point for 10 yards rushing/receivingReceptions are .5 pointsInterceptions/fumbles are minus-2 points

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